content/snippets/python/s/sort-dictionary-tuple-key.md
---
title: Sort Python dictionary list using a tuple key
shortTitle: Sort dictionary list using a tuple key
type: tip
language: python
tags: [list,dictionary]
cover: matrix-flow
excerpt: Learn how to sort a Python dictionary list using a tuple key.
listed: false
dateModified: 2023-01-04
---
Sorting a list of dictionaries in Python can seem intimidating at first. This is especially true if you want to **sort using multiple keys**. Luckily, the `sorted()` function can be used to sort a list of dictionaries using a tuple `key`. Simply return a **tuple** with the order of keys you want to sort by and the `sorted()` function will do the rest.
```py
friends = [
{"name": "John", "surname": "Doe", "age": 26},
{"name": "Jane", "surname": "Doe", "age": 28},
{"name": "Adam", "surname": "Smith", "age": 30},
{"name": "Michael", "surname": "Jones", "age": 28}
]
print(
sorted(
friends,
key=lambda friend:
(friend["age"], friend["surname"], friend["name"])
)
)
# PRINTS:
# [
# {'name': 'John', 'surname': 'Doe', 'age': 26},
# {'name': 'Jane', 'surname': 'Doe', 'age': 28},
# {'name': 'Michael', 'surname': 'Jones', 'age': 28},
# {'name': 'Adam', 'surname': 'Smith', 'age': 30}
# ]
```